Break out the Waterford

So, after dinner tonight, Carson looked over at our china cabinet and asked, “can I look at one of those?”. “Those” being a collection of Waterford crystal flutes, goblets, snifters, etc. Of course, the stock answer to a 6-year-old would be “uhhh, no.” Perhaps it was that very fact that made me hesitate. After a moment or two, I said “sure.” Sydney (5), sensing a great opportunity at hand, quickly joined in, “can I look too!?” So, the next 10 minutes or so found us sitting on the floor, passing the crystal back and forth, plunking each of them with our fingers to hear the different ringing sounds, and even clunking them together gingerly in a few “cheers” practices. We also pulled out the ice bucket, which was like a giant bell in the crystal orchestra. It was a complete blast. The kids were great, and they were as gentle as I can imagine a five and six-year-old could be. I never said the stuff was “expensive.” Instead, I simply told them: “These are very special gifts from Mimi (my mom), and they are from Ireland.” Ohhhhhhh…wow. They thought that that was just awesome. Their competence in handling this stuff was no fluke, by the way. They have always been given wide latitude to practice their “gentleness” with genuinely fragile things…even stuff in stores. I know they can do it, and I let them do it. Does that make me crazy? So, I would invite anyone who may be reading this to reconsider his answer when tempted to deliver the automatic “no” to a “crystal question.” Now you know that even a five-year-old can do it! 🙂